Would like some feedback on my setup

[Justin DeWitt]

I have been working on a home media room for the past year and a half. I am nearing the 100% completion phase and would like to get some other enthusists feedback on what I have been able to create.

Hear is a list of the system. Some items are already in and installed and others are final items that have been purchased but not installed at this time.

VIDEO:
Projector: Mitsubishi XL7100U (already have)
Screen: Da Lite in ceiling retractable 150" (already have)
Minix NEO-X7-216A Media hub (ordered awaiting arrival)
TWC HD DVR box (already on system)
Apple TV MD199LL/A (already on system)
LG BP335 3D Blue Ray Player (already have)
NETGEAR ReadyNAS 100 Series 2-Bay Diskless Network Attached Storage RN10200 with 8TB of storage
Panasonic VCR (already have)
HDMI 1080p analog converter (already have)

SOUND:
Marantz SR5008 7.2-Channel Receiver (already have)
Pyle PT4000 4000 watt 2 Channel Amplifier (already have)
Pyle PT8000 8000 watt 8 Channel Amplifier (ordered)
Pyle PT8000 8000 watt 8 Channel Amplifier (ordered)
Pyle PPCX2 Crossover (ordered)
Pyle PPCX2 Crossover (ordered)
Pyle PPVERB16 Sound Processor (ordered)

AUDIO COMPONENTS
NEO NK-2000U Karaoke Player (already have)
TASCAM CD-355 CD Player (already have)

SPEAKER SYSTEM
2 Accoustic Audio 12" 800 watt rms subwoofers (already have)
10 Klipsch R-5650-W II in wall units
6 Klipsch R-5502-W II in wall units
2 Klipsch R-5650-S II in wall units
4 Klipsch CDT-3800-C II ceiling mount units
1 Klipsch RW-5802 in wall sub

GAMING
Nintendo Wii (already have)
PS3 (already have)
Xbox 1

LIGHTING
Insteon remote 4 way dimmer system
6 recessed lighting on dimmer
Track lighting 4 way over screen
Rope lighting under seats and stairs
10 sconce wall lighting on dimmer

AV POWER MANAGEMENT
2 PT800 power conditioners (already have)
Monster HTUPS 3700 Home Theater Powercenter
2 independent circuit breakers for cinema system

In addition we will be installing accoustic foam in the ceiling and adding 8 accoustic panels (3 down each wall and 2 in the rear) to suppress sound waves.

All of the system will be racked in our concessions area in what we call the "media closet".

We will be running a Sanus IR multi-sensor setup which will transmit the IR frequencies of the components to a single IR sensor positioned over the projector screen.

The remote control is a Roomie VR remote app on our i-pad (already have). It makes it very handy to control all of the hidden components as well as lighting and even temperature control all from one device.

The In-wall speakers will be a spring project although we have ordered them already. Currently we are running 4 Bose 161 articulated arrays for the L and R surrounds and rear L and R speakers while we have 4 Seismic Audio SA 155.2s. 2 of them set on either side of the screen and are used as the front L and R while the other two lay on their sides below the screen and are used together to make the center channel. Like I said, this is a temporary speaker setup but it does sound fantastic the way it is! I just want a sleeker look to the theater than what is currently set up so we will be installing the in-walls and the Bose speakers will be going along with the old receiver that the Marantz replaced to our master on-suite while the massive carpeted Seismic Audio's will be set up in our rec room along with the rest of the DJ equipment that I have hidden away in storage lol...

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Oh Lord, what a mess. 4:3 VGA Projector and whole steaming pyle of [censored], white van subs (AA)

Klipsch speakers and Marantz avrs are ok

 

[zieglj01]

It seems like you have already made up you mine - however, best wishes with the Pyle.
So, no money was set aside for new subs?

 

[Justin DeWitt]

Oh Lord, what a mess. 4:3 VGA Projector and whole steaming pyle of [censored], white van subs (AA)

Klipsch speakers and Marantz avrs are ok

Sounds like you are someone who is simply big on brand names and has not done a fair amount of sound testing? 1st of all the projector is not a 4:3 ratio VGA it is a HD 3D projector that displays a 16:9 aspect ratio and has 6,000 lumens of brightness with a 1080i output. The subs themselves may not come from a brand name however the 12 kevlar subs offer impeccable bass quality with no distortion and a balanced crossover which removes all of the mid and high ranges. They have no problems pushing the 750 watts of balanced output that is running from the amp. As far as Pyle is concerned, I am aware of the thought of using their home stereo line and had no interest in doing so. I have a long track record with stage setups however and I have used pyle amps to power large outdoor setups with great success. I purchased initially a pt3300 3000 watt amp, intended for stage use, and added it to the audio rack. I ran it for over 6 months with no issues whatsoever. I tested the sound quality against a McIntosh MC2600 of my friends and the Pyle amp provided equal high and low frequency outputs with no difference in distortion level. The only difference noted is in the gain adjustment. Pyle does have an issue with a balanced gain but for the installation the gains on the amplifiers are only set once then left alone. All sound adjustment is conducted using the Marantz pre pro.
I should point out that this project was a decision to build out my home theater for under $10k to prove that it can be done. My research along with two of my own personal friends whom have installed movie theaters in their homes have averaged between $50k-$85k for a functional and quality home theater setup. Using a mix of stage audio components and top end home theater components to provide the same system controls and management we are looking to achieve the same setup.

 

[Justin DeWitt]

It seems like you have already made up you mine - however, best wishes with the Pyle.
So, no money was set aside for new subs?

We tested multiple subs. My goal was to build a home theater on a budget with quality performance. The two subs, although not name brand, provide better quality than the sub in my living room which is a JBL L8400P which produces 600watts. The acoustic audio subs run a 40-140 Hertz crossover range which eliminates at least 3 times more mid and high tones than the JBL. The added option to adjust the phase from a 180 to 0 reduces to the sub to roll out extremely low frequency sub power. I honestly have done a large amount of testing and these subs are serious quality. It is honestly doubtful that you can find a better quality sub than these for the money.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Sounds like you are someone who is simply big on brand names and has not done a fair amount of sound testing? 1st of all the projector is not a 4:3 ratio VGA it is a HD 3D projector that displays a 16:9 aspect ratio and has 6,000 lumens of brightness with a 1080i output.

Re-read your first sentence and then take a look at my speakers brand - tSc - if you know this brand without running google search - I'll give tons of positive cred..

Sorry, it's just not - Mitsubishi Projectors: Mitsubishi XL7100U 3 LCD projector
Clearly states: Aspect Ratio: 4:3. Native resolution: 1024x768 - It is 16:9/ 1080i Capable, but it's not native. Means it's video scaled - aka same thing as civic with large turbo is not a race car. Aslo there are no 3D what so ever. It is very good Office/Large Venue projector which doesn't belong in HT.

look for Pyle amp reviews on amazon - Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: PYLE PT8000CH Rack Mount 8000-Watt 8 Channel Stereo/Mono Amplifier

Klipsch speakers don't even need extra amps - they are more than efficient enough to be used with AVR. As for distributed audio there are ways to get it on budget without buying crap

You could build out whole HT under 10k easily without buying crap like Pyle or 4:3 projector

 

[Justin DeWitt]

Re-read your first sentence and then take a look at my speakers brand - tSc - if you know this brand without running google search - I'll give tons of positive cred..

Sorry, it's just not - Mitsubishi Projectors: Mitsubishi XL7100U 3 LCD projector
Clearly states: Aspect Ratio: 4:3. Native resolution: 1024x768 - It is 16:9/ 1080i Capable, but it's not native. Means it's video scaled - aka same thing as civic with large turbo is not a race car. Aslo there are no 3D what so ever. It is very good Office/Large Venue projector which doesn't belong in HT.

look for Pyle amp reviews on amazon - Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: PYLE PT8000CH Rack Mount 8000-Watt 8 Channel Stereo/Mono Amplifier

Klipsch speakers don't even need extra amps - they are more than efficient enough to be used with AVR. As for distributed audio there are ways to get it on budget without buying crap

You could build out whole HT under 10k easily without buying crap like Pyle or 4:3 projector

I am only familiar with tsc towers the TST2s and agreed they are not a well known brand. Never owned a pair but I do know of them. Regarding the Amazon customer reviews I read through them and over 20 were praising the system. The only issues that kept coming out was 1. the size of the amp (I have no problems with a 50 pound beast in the bottom of the rack) 2. It isn't really 8000 watts (most people don't understand that when you run a high ohm speaker it cuts power. With an 8 ohm speaker a 1,000 watt channel would be reduced to around 150 watts) 3. There was a hum in the amp. Pyle amps do not have a ground loop protector which keeps back bleeds from happening. In order to keep from this issue happening you need to run isolators and ensure that your system is properly grounded including the coax from your satellite or cable box. It isn't a failure of the amp but rather an issue that exists outside of the component 99% of the time. I had the same issue with the pyle amps I have tested. They first caused a massive hum similar to what was described however after adding a filter to the coax in to the cable box and exchanging the rca cables from the main unit to the amps with insulated rca's it fixed it. We have had no issues on mine since then.
It is also worth mentioning that the amps come with a 5 year warranty on them as well and as mentioned I have over 15 years experience with these types of amps and I can't say that I have seen anymore issues with them than that of other more notable brand amps.

 

[sawzalot]

Re-read your first sentence and then take a look at my speakers brand - tSc - if you know this brand without running google search - I'll give tons of positive cred..

Sorry, it's just not - Mitsubishi Projectors: Mitsubishi XL7100U 3 LCD projector
Clearly states: Aspect Ratio: 4:3. Native resolution: 1024x768 - It is 16:9/ 1080i Capable, but it's not native. Means it's video scaled - aka same thing as civic with large turbo is not a race car. Aslo there are no 3D what so ever. It is very good Office/Large Venue projector which doesn't belong in HT.

I looked at this projector for my outdoor screening of Sunday and Monday night Football, I thought it would be perfect for just that with the higher output and such. At 6000 ansi lumens out of the box I think I would have gotten at least half of that outside but the darn thing seems to be inflated price wise.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

It isn't really 8000 watts (most people don't understand that when you run a high ohm speaker it cuts power. With an 8 ohm speaker a 1,000 watt channel would be reduced to around 150 watts) 3. There was a hum in the amp. Pyle amps do not have a ground loop protector which keeps back bleeds from happening. In order to keep from this issue happening you need to run isolators and ensure that your system is properly grounded including the coax from your satellite or cable box. It isn't a failure of the amp but rather an issue that exists outside of the component 99% of the time. I had the same issue with the pyle amps I have tested. They first caused a massive hum similar to what was described however after adding a filter to the coax in to the cable box and exchanging the rca cables from the main unit to the amps with insulated rca's it fixed it. We have had no issues on mine since then.
It is also worth mentioning that the amps come with a 5 year warranty on them as well and as mentioned I have over 15 years experience with these types of amps and I can't say that I have seen anymore issues with them than that of other more notable brand amps.

Obviously it's not 8kW amp, but the main issue is Pyle doesn't provide the specs and actual power varies drastically from model to model.
With Klipsch speakers all you need to blast them is only few watts and even cheap 20-30w dayton amp could easily deliver that. or get 12 channel 40wpc monster like this one and replace most of this piles - Dayton Audio MA1240 Multi-Zone 12 Channel Amplifier for Distributed Whole House Audio Systems 300-815


What good is "5 year warranty" when multiple people complained about horrible customer service ?

 

[Justin DeWitt]

I looked at this projector for my outdoor screening of Sunday and Monday night Football, I thought it would be perfect for just that with the higher output and such.

I honestly have never set it up for an outdoor performance but I will say that it offers a crisp video quality. I have mine ceiling mounted 24 feet back from the screen and it fills a 152" screen with a 16:9 ratio without distortion. The only setback I personally have on it is that the lens is manually adjusting rather than auto adjusting. It works fine for my purpose of a permanent placement where I only need to adjust once and leave it but it I were using it in a way that required me to move it around and constantly set the adjustment I see where that would be irritating. The 6000 lumen is more than enough to run it with ambient light. I can turn up the lights in the theater and still see a clear enough picture so I would assume it would work fine outdoors as well.

 

[Justin DeWitt]

Obviously it's not 8kW amp, but the main issue is Pyle doesn't provide the specs and actual power varies drastically from model to model.
With Klipsch speakers all you need to blast them is only few watts and even cheap 20-30w dayton amp could easily deliver that. or get 12 channel 40wpc monster like this one and replace most of this piles - Dayton Audio MA1240 Multi-Zone 12 Channel Amplifier for Distributed Whole House Audio Systems 300-815


What good is "5 year warranty" when multiple people complained about horrible customer service ?

Yes I understand that the Klipsch speakers are phenominal setups that can run with relatively low power. That is one of the main benefits of them. The purpose of the Pyle amp purchases are the costs as mentioned. Both of the 8 channel amps still cost less than the inexpensive Dayton. I can't vouch for the PT8000s as they will not be in for another day or two but as stated the pt4000 and pt3300 has ran great with solid output and no major concerns. That being said, if the pt8000 does turn out to be crap I will be the first to stand up and say so but I feel it deserves it's chance. Once I get them in and set up I will run a Db test on the speakers and a wattage test from the amps and report back as to the actual performance I was able to generate from them.

 

[slipperybidness]

Obviously it's not 8kW amp, but the main issue is Pyle doesn't provide the specs and actual power varies drastically from model to model.
With Klipsch speakers all you need to blast them is only few watts and even cheap 20-30w dayton amp could easily deliver that. or get 12 channel 40wpc monster like this one and replace most of this piles - Dayton Audio MA1240 Multi-Zone 12 Channel Amplifier for Distributed Whole House Audio Systems 300-815


What good is "5 year warranty" when multiple people complained about horrible customer service ?

Just to put in my 2 cents...

I'm with BSA on this one. A $10K HT isn't that tough to pull off. I firmly believe that you could do better for the $ than what was listed.

But, your post was to get honest feedback, seems that you really wanted approval rather than feedback.

 

[sawzalot]

Just to put in my 2 cents...

I'm with BSA on this one. A $10K HT isn't that tough to pull off. I firmly believe that you could do better for the $ than what was listed.

But, your post was to get honest feedback, seems that you really wanted approval rather than feedback.

I think the OP is taking his feedback in stride...so far. Probably a ways to go yet only time will tell. I think a few pics of the set-up would be nice to go along with the feedback/suggestions.

*quick edit to OP, I dont think anyone referred to the Klipsch as "phenomenal" that is a real stretch IMO. I had them and I very much disliked them. I guess the horns are not for me.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Klipsch speakers and Marantz avrs are ok

I dont think anyone referred to the Klipsch as "phenomenal" that is a real stretch IMO. I had them and I very much disliked them. I guess the horns are not for me.

I heard various Klipsch towers - I kinda like them (for short term listening) but same horn tweeter which makes their sound "exciting" is common cause of listening fatigue in the long term
So, no - I wont call Klipsch in-walls "phenomenal", but still probably better than Pyle in-walls

 

[Justin DeWitt]

Just to put in my 2 cents...

I'm with BSA on this one. A $10K HT isn't that tough to pull off. I firmly believe that you could do better for the $ than what was listed.

But, your post was to get honest feedback, seems that you really wanted approval rather than feedback.

I should add that the $10k isn't just to cover the cost of the components. The $10k includes the components, seating, room remodel, and the build out of the concessions room fully fitted with posters and wall art. In addition to the electronics in the room the room has been soundproofed and we are in the process of acoustically treating the viewing room. Items that we are still working to complete by the end of spring are: installation of the concession stands (we purchased actual glass display cases and have the counters and bar tops for the room and the room is sheet rocked just needs to be installed), the av media closet (it is in a frame up only status. Still have to run the wiring to it, insulate, and sheet rock before installing the component rack and av shelves), and the acoustic boxes still need to go in. We have 11 theater seats over three platforms and a 14X16 open area infront as a dance area for the kids along with a 8 inch tall 4'X10' stage infront of the screen which is currently housing the oversize center channels. Once complete we will add decorative cloth curtains by the stage to help with the acoustics as well.

 

[Justin DeWitt]

Just to put in my 2 cents...

I'm with BSA on this one. A $10K HT isn't that tough to pull off. I firmly believe that you could do better for the $ than what was listed.

But, your post was to get honest feedback, seems that you really wanted approval rather than feedback.

No I am purely looking for feedback not approval. The only eyebrow that was raised was regarding branding. I would really like to get feedback from anyone that has used any of these components and find out what their thoughts were on them. As I have mentioned many of the components that is on the list has been tested and checked out by myself but items such as the in walls, 8000 watt amps and a few other accessories will be new. I would really like to get feedback regarding personal experiences with those items so when I do get them in and test them out I have a baseline to go by.

 

[Justin DeWitt]

and for the record.... have no interest in pyle audio in walls....

 

[slipperybidness]

I should add that the $10k isn't just to cover the cost of the components. The $10k includes the components, seating, room remodel, and the build out of the concessions room fully fitted with posters and wall art. In addition to the electronics in the room the room has been soundproofed and we are in the process of acoustically treating the viewing room. Items that we are still working to complete by the end of spring are: installation of the concession stands (we purchased actual glass display cases and have the counters and bar tops for the room and the room is sheet rocked just needs to be installed), the av media closet (it is in a frame up only status. Still have to run the wiring to it, insulate, and sheet rock before installing the component rack and av shelves), and the acoustic boxes still need to go in. We have 11 theater seats over three platforms and a 14X16 open area infront as a dance area for the kids along with a 8 inch tall 4'X10' stage infront of the screen which is currently housing the oversize center channels. Once complete we will add decorative cloth curtains by the stage to help with the acoustics as well.

Well, that certainly sounds like fun! Are you really saying that you did all this, with the AV gear for under $10K? If so, then that is pretty good. I'm more the type to spend $10K on the gear and then worry about the other stuff

I would not have made the same choices on the AV gear, but to each his own. At least you are doing acoustic treatments too, that is an area that is often over-looked that can easily add to the quality of the sound.

 

[walter duque]

What do you think about these 2 Channel 4500 Watts Professional Power Amplifier Amp DJ Stereo Musysic Sys 4500 | eBay amps since you know a lot about pro audio. I was thinking about giving away my Cinepro amps and get a stack of these amps. How would these compare to the Pyle amps??

 

[lsiberian]

So you actually got the receiver. You really don't need an external amp for Klipschs, but of course you have the Karaoke stuff so it's probably easier that way.

Looks like you got an old conference room projector. I had one of those types for a while and honestly didn't see a huge difference between it and the 1080p projectors. I can't really see that well anyway. My main reason for upgrading was the lens shift.

If you're redoing you're room use a legit IB sub. Seriously those things are sick.